Last week we left things on a cliffhanger, with an unknown Joseph telling his brothers he would be keeping Benjamin in Egypt. This week we will read the conclusion of Joseph’s testing of his brothers. Our parasha this week is called Vayigash which translates to “And He Drew Near” and covers Genesis 44:18-47:27. This parasha shows […]

This week’s parasha is entitled, Miketz, which means, “at the end of.”  It covers Genesis Chapters 41:1 to 44:17. Our parasha for this week opens by telling us that Joseph stayed two more full years in prison after the cupbearer’s release.   However, it is at this time that Pharaoh has a strange dream, which no […]

This week our parasha is Va’yeishev which means “And He Settled” and covers Genesis 37:1-40:23. Parasha Va’yeishev covers the beginning of the life of Joseph and shows how a cycle of sin can continue from one generation to the next. Chapter 37 introduces us to Joseph, Jacob’s favorite son, who is given an ornate robe […]

The name of this week’s parasha is Vayishlach, which means “and he sent,” and covers Genesis 32:3-36:43.  Jacob sends messengers to his brother Esau to gain Esau’s favor.  They return with news that Esau is coming toward Jacob with 400 men.  Jacob is terrified and divides the people and animals into 2 groups, thinking that […]

This week’s parasha is Vayetze, meaning “and he went forth”. Jacob flees from Be’ersheva to escape the wrath of his brother Esau, and makes the 500+ mile journey back to Haran, the place from which Abraham had departed many years earlier. There Jacob will stay with his maternal uncle, Laban. It’s temporary, of course; Jacob […]

Moses compiled eleven genealogies in the book of Genesis. The parasha for this Shabbat is entitled Toldot, translated generations, histories or descendants. This Parasha covers the 9th of these genealogies or toldot, which is the account of the generations of Isaac. Isaac’s wife Rebecca, like Sarah before her, had trouble conceiving. Isaac had learned from […]

This week’s parasha is entitled Chayei Sarah, meaning “The Life of Sarah” and covers Genesis 23:1-25:18. In this parasha we see God’s plan to continue His promises through Abraham’s son Isaac, and a teaching for us on what it means to be servants of the Lord. Our parasha opens with the death of Abraham’s wife […]

The Torah reading for this week’s Parasha, is entitled Vayrea meaning (And He approached). It’s taken from the book of Genesis 18:1-22:24. Adonai came to visit Abraham, accompanied by two angels. They appeared to Abraham near the oak trees of Mamre. Abraham was sitting at the door of his tent. perhaps still recuperating from his […]

This morning’s parasha will complete the annual cycle of Torah readings. It is entitled V’zot HaB’racha, translated, And this is the blessing, and covers Deuteronomy chapters 33 and 34. Moses will soon die – God has told him as much. Because of his disrespect toward Adonai at Meribah (Numbers 20), he will not enter the […]

This week our parasha is Ha’Azinu which translates to “Listen” and covers Deuteronomy 32. Ha’Azinu is the penultimate parasha and contains the final teaching and warning of Moses for our people.  This teaching takes the form of a song, written in double columns in the Torah. The song prophecies our people’s future disobedience and destruction […]